Grey Doffin

Hi Omar, I am very surprised if it was the shinsa team that told you to ship them the bare blade. The blade without its shira-saya is vulnerable to damage, both in the mail and during the time between receiving and returning to you. The hour or so the blade is bare for shinsa is a necessary risk but to take the chance of damage with numerous blades over numerous days seems foolish. You are paying them for the service: receiving, storing, submitting through shinsa, and returning; keeping track of the parts (including the real habaki) during shinsa isn't much to expect from them. If it wasn't the shinsa team that told you to ship bare, then never mind. If it was, I think someone with the team needs to point out where I'm mistaken. Grey ps. If you do ship the blade bare, make sure you know proper technique.

Dave, it was my decision not to purchase insurance, not my customer's. My customer has been reimbursed; I get to eat this one. Unless you tell me you don't want insurance you are covered when you do business with me. Again, the box wasn't damaged. Someone opened it and removed the contents. Since this thread is staying active, here is a picture of the 59 volumes. Thanks guys, Grey

The tracking that I could access never was much help on this one; it showed that I mailed the package and beyond that nothing. Tracking that the PO can access may be more useful in the investigation I asked for. Ken, none of this makes sense. Grey

Media rate from USPS is trackable with or without insurance. Grey

The box was undamaged (I always pack carefully, especially on something this valuable; this box wouldn't split) and this was sent by media rate post without insurance or any other indication of value on the label. It is a head scratcher; I also find it hard to believe anyone would go out of his way to steal this. Perhaps he opened the box and when he saw it was nothing he would want he dumped the contents. Theft is the only explanation that works for me. Grey

Thank you Christian. I have my own set of the books; the lost one was for a customer. He would like the books, not a reprint. Me too. Grey

Hi Jason, A new tsuka needs to be made; there are no standards. The whole process will be quite expensive and when you are done you'll be lucky to sell the sword for half what you put into it. Unless you want the adventure and money is no object, it makes better sense to keep the sword in shira-saya (or have shira-saya made if the existing koshirae is too damaged) and buy an existing koshirae with tsunagi to display next to your sword. I could go into great detail here but I'm lousy at the keyboard. If you'd like to talk and ask questions, I'm in the central time zone and my number is 218-726-0395. Cheers, Grey

Hi Arnold, If the books weren't lost I could answer your question; sorry. Don't know the answer to Richard's question either. Grey

Hi guys, Thanks for the kind words. Here is the set from my website: http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b474-token-bijutsu-english-edition-all-59-issues As for the PO delivering the empty box, I'm glad that happened. It is a piece of the puzzle that will have to be solved if I have any hope of recovery. I've always had great service from USPS. For all the mailing I do there have been only 5 or 6 problems in 8 years and half of them have happened overseas. Cheers, Grey

Hi guys, I sent a full set (59 volumes) of English Token Bijutsu by the NBTHK to a customer in Connecticut, USA the end of November last year. Up till yesterday I thought they were just lost in the mail but the customer has informed me that the box arrived, undamaged and empty. Someone somewhere has opened it, removed the books, and sent the empty box on its way. The post office has been informed. If any of you learn of a set, I'd be very appreciative if you told me. Thanks, Grey

Hi Andrew, Here is a care & etiquette site; you would be smart to read it twice. http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm If the holes are off just a bit it may be as simple as replacing a missing seppa (washer). You can make one out of a piece of leather. Grey

Jon, you need lots of study before you try to buy a real Nihonto. Otherwise you'll waste money on blatant Chinese fakes like this one; it sure is ugly. Buy books and attend sword shows; see the real thing and you won't be fooled again. Grey

Hi Brad, Looks like a forging flaw and since it's in the nakago and one side only it isn't serious. Grey

I have an index in English and every page is marked "Nihonto Message Board Appreciation Gift". It must be under the Articles tab or someplace else on the site. Grey

Hi George, I don't know the name Vic Diehl from any Japanese sword book and checking online I find he authored a book on German swords and another on Near Eastern swords, but nothing Japanese. He may have been a great guy but he may not have been the authority you think he was; take his advise on your sword with that in mind. Grey

Hi Ben, I also had a problem with your 1st picture. I suspected the tsuba to be a cast fake but I wasn't sure. Now with the new pictures I'm less sure. I think there is a good chance that this is not cast but rather made recently (late 20th or 21st century) and never mounted. The top of the nakago hitsu-ana still looks fishy but the rest of the tsuba looks real. Grey

Hi, Here is a care and etiquette paper that will show you how to handle the sword. It shows also how to safely remove and replace the handle; if you can post a closeup picture of the blade's tang (the part inside the handle) we can probably tell you more. http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm Grey

Boston Museum of Fine Arts (USA) has a great collection; no idea how much of it is usually on display. Grey

Hi Bob, Having the tsuka (handle) rewrapped would make sense and won't set you back too much. David MacDonald in Montana can do your rewrap; he does a great job and is reasonably priced. I doubt that you'll need a new tsuka, just new wrap. He should be included in the links up top. Grey

Hi Bob, Care and etiquette; you would be smart to read it twice. http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm Grey

Hard to tell if cleaned or just the seller's photos. Price seems high and postage is worse. Grey

Hi Steve, The 1st step is to determine if the mei is right or a forgery; false signatures are very common. If you decide the mei is correct then you should show the sword to a properly trained polisher, who will be able to answer that question. Grey

From what I can see (the picture isn't the best) it looks OK. Grey

Bishu Osafune Yoshimitsu. Choroku San Nen Hachi Gatsu HI (A day in the 8th month of 1459). Grey

In English Token Bijutsu no. 32 there is a suriage katana by Nanki Shigekuni that is Juyo Bijutsuhin. Not a ranking by the NBTHK but still, it seems that all things are possible. Grey